health and safety conditions
Before the game check that the grounds are open and have been cleared for use by the council. If there are weather conditions such as intense heat, heavy rain or lightning the game may be called off due to the unsafe playing conditions. Players must ensure that the right equipment has been brought (balls) and that the correct uniform has been worn (no jewellery). Pre-game warm up is essential for preventing injury, and weak or damaged joints should be taped.
goals for training
It is important to set goals in a training session in order to motivate the athletes to reach a certain point. The goals for this training session will be;
- Improve muscular endurance - Allowing players to play over long periods of time without their muscles becoming fatigued
- Increasing general strength and power - Important for throws, jumps and push-offs during the game
- Improve cardiovascular endurance - Allowing players to perform at their peak without becoming tired or fatigued, and increases the body's ability to supply oxygen to the working muscles
- Improve the athletes joint mobility - Important for a players agility and the stress placed on the joints during netball
- Lower the risk of injury - Preventing muscle tears, fractures and ligament damage
- Learn and develop important netball skills - Skills such as netball passes (lobs, chest passes and shoulder passes), pivoting, shooting and breaking free of an opponent are all important in having a successful performance in netball
warm up activity
Before doing any form of intense physical activity it is very important to complete a warm up first, ideally containing stretching exercises and light aerobic activity. A warm up is vital as it helps the body in preventing injuries and also prepares it for the physical activity.
The benefits of a warm-up include: improved flexibility, increased blood flow, reduced fatigue and improved mental preparation. A good netball warm up plan would consist of the following;
The benefits of a warm-up include: improved flexibility, increased blood flow, reduced fatigue and improved mental preparation. A good netball warm up plan would consist of the following;
1. A comfortable, non-strenuous jog around the netball court 3-5 times to steadily raise the heart rate, and to help the body become more limber; increasing the effectiveness of stretching
2. Static and dynamic stretches to increase your range of movement and to aid in the prevention of injury, such as;
- Body upright in a ‘ready’ position
- Contract the abdominal muscles for balance
- Bend at the knees and stick bottom out (imagine you are sitting down on a seat)
- Knees must not pass in front of toes
- Heels remain planted on the floor
- Repeat 10 times (or more if desired)stretching
- Place your left hand against the wall for balance
- Contract the abdominal muscles for balance
- Swing the right leg out straight in front of you flexing the right hip
- Swing leg back behind you to complete the movement
- Repeat 10 times increasing speed
- Change leg and repeat
- Cross your right leg over the top while keeping your knee up
- Take left arm and cross body effectively turning your body to the right side
- Hold for 10 seconds
- Repeat on other side
- Hold for 20 seconds
- Switch sides and repeat
- Use your right arm to gentle pull on your left elbow
- Hold for 15 seconds
- Switch sides and repeat
2. Static and dynamic stretches to increase your range of movement and to aid in the prevention of injury, such as;
- Squats
- Body upright in a ‘ready’ position
- Contract the abdominal muscles for balance
- Bend at the knees and stick bottom out (imagine you are sitting down on a seat)
- Knees must not pass in front of toes
- Heels remain planted on the floor
- Repeat 10 times (or more if desired)stretching
- Hamstring Swings
- Place your left hand against the wall for balance
- Contract the abdominal muscles for balance
- Swing the right leg out straight in front of you flexing the right hip
- Swing leg back behind you to complete the movement
- Repeat 10 times increasing speed
- Change leg and repeat
- The Pretzel (stretches the legs and back)
- Cross your right leg over the top while keeping your knee up
- Take left arm and cross body effectively turning your body to the right side
- Hold for 10 seconds
- Repeat on other side
- Upper Body and Arms
- Hold for 20 seconds
- Switch sides and repeat
- Upper Body and Arms 2
- Use your right arm to gentle pull on your left elbow
- Hold for 15 seconds
- Switch sides and repeat
specific skills and exercises
There are many different forms of teaching an athletes skill instruction and practice, these could be through verbal commands, demonstrations, videos, diagrams and photo slides. The form chosen to teach the athletes must be clear and concise, in order to ensure the understanding of the athlete. Pre-learned skills should be revised and refined, and new skills should be learnt and practised. Netball skills that could be learnt or practised during a training session are;
- Players stand a few metres away from each other with hands by their side
- The player with the ball then passes to second player, in which time the second player must bring their hands up to catch the ball
- The roles are swapped and repeated for 3 minutes
- Lobs (high passes)
- Chest passes
- Bounce passes
- Shoulder passes
- Begin from the starting line and sprint to the first object, planting and without stopping turning and sprinting back to the starting spot.
- Once you reach the starting line again turn and now sprint to the second cone, again changing direction quickly and returning to the start position.
- Now turn from the starting position and sprint to the last cone before turning back around and returning to the starting line.
- Practice the speed of passes/reaction time
- Players stand a few metres away from each other with hands by their side
- The player with the ball then passes to second player, in which time the second player must bring their hands up to catch the ball
- The roles are swapped and repeated for 3 minutes
- Practice different types of passing
- Lobs (high passes)
- Chest passes
- Bounce passes
- Shoulder passes
- Practice shooting technique (for relevant players e.g. Goal Attack and Goal Shooter)
- Suicide Runs
- Begin from the starting line and sprint to the first object, planting and without stopping turning and sprinting back to the starting spot.
- Once you reach the starting line again turn and now sprint to the second cone, again changing direction quickly and returning to the start position.
- Now turn from the starting position and sprint to the last cone before turning back around and returning to the starting line.
forms of conditioning
The main components of fitness that need to be developed during the training session are;
- Cardiovascular endurance - The ability to participate in physical activity for long periods of time without becoming fatigued. Can be improved through regular aerobic activity such as running, jogging or walking. Preferably 3-4 times a week.
- Agility - The ability to be able to stop and start and change directions quickly. Can be improved by weaving in and out of 10 cones set 1 metre apart in the shortest amount of time possible
- Coordination - The ability to link movements in together and perform them simultaneously. Can be improved through passing multiple balls around a circle at once, causing players to throw their ball and prepare to catch another within seconds of each other.
- Reaction Time - The ability to react quickly to an external stimulus. Can be improved through performing drills such as the speed passes.
- Speed - The ability to complete a movement or run a distance in a short amount of time. Can be improved through drills such as the suicide runs
cool down activity
Cool down activities are important as they help muscles to relax, realign muscle fibres and re-establish their normal range of movement. They also prevent a build up in lactic acid and reduce muscle soreness. Benefits of an effective cool down include; dissipation of lactic acid, reduce the level of adrenaline in the heart and aids in returning the heart rate to its resting rate. An effective cool down could include;1. A comfortable, non-strenuous jog around the netball court 2-4 times to slowly reduce the level of intensity the body is working at and gradually cooling the temperature of the working muscles
2. A combination of static and dynamic stretches to relax fatigued muscles and increase muscle length, leading to faster recovery. The stretches completed in the warm up section can be repeated here.
2. A combination of static and dynamic stretches to relax fatigued muscles and increase muscle length, leading to faster recovery. The stretches completed in the warm up section can be repeated here.